Letters Home from a Yankee Doughboy 1916-1919

You see I am still here. A week or so ago I expected to be far away from here by now but we are still in the same old place and have no idea when we will get away. We have no further news about going and it almost looks as though we would be here a while yet. The men are pretty much disappointed. Their spirits were running high and they were filled with expectation and the delay has discouraged them somewhat. We are still prepared to go in case orders come at any moment but no one has any idea as to when that will be.

Yesterday being the anniversary of the declaration of war and the beginning of the Liberty campaign all the cities had parades. Junction City had one by the entire Medical Camp of Fort Riley. We walked from camp to town and then a couple of miles around town and back to camp again. It was around ten miles and we had our packs on our back all the time. I hope the citizens of Junction City appreciated our efforts and bought lots of bonds.

Today being Sunday there is nothing to do around camp so Sgt. Hill and I came into town this afternoon to write a letter or two and go to church this evening. I don’t know where we will go. It dosen’t make any difference to either of us as to which church we attend. I have been to several of the churches and I haven’t found any of them that had really good ministers. They are very small churches and I suppose pay small salaries so they get just what they pay for. There are a dozen or more churches and if there were only three or four they could pay more and have real good men.

We had quite a fire in one of our barracks a few days ago. It was in our tailor shop. Some men were here putting an oil preparation on the floors. The stuff had to be put on warm so they set a pail of it on the stove. It boiled over and caught fire and in just a few seconds that end of the barracks was burning rapidly. We got the men busy with buckets of water and in a few minutes it was out. We had several suits of clothes in the tailor shop and they were burned up. Our tailor shop has been given up now because we haven’t got a good tailor. We did have one but he deserted about six weeks ago and has never been heard of since. Our barber has been laid up with lumbago so we haven’t been doing much business in the company of late.

The tobacco, candy and other things that we bought to take along had to be turned back as we can’t take it along. Our company fund now has nearly a thousand dollars in cash which is mostly profit from the camp exchange.

I had a letter from Gladys a few days ago. They thought I had gone some time ago and expected that their letters would be delivered in France. If we are here a little while yet I may go down to Emporia for a day. It is about time for their Spring Festival and I will get to hear some good music as well as to see my old friends. They may think it strange that I have been here so long and have not been down to see them.

Sgt. Hill and I have good times together. We have lots of things in common and are interested together in many things. He expects to be married on the trip East. He is going to marry the woman he was divorced from two or three years ago. He went to visit his child a couple of months ago and things were patched up and they are going to get married again. He is older than I, about thirty-two or three, but we don’t seem to notice much difference in our ages. Nearly all of my friends are older than I. I know of very few my age or younger.

I don’t remember what day I wrote you last but I hope you haven’t been worrying thinking that I have been gone. Whenever we get word to go I will let you know so you will know for sure.

Father’s letter came early in the week. I will send some money after payday which we expect this week. I don’t owe as much as I thought I did and having no book I never know how I stand.